Electrically operable grill cleaning device



June 23, 1959 J. L. DUFFIE 2,891,360

, ELECTRICALLY OPERABLE GRILL CLEANING DEVICE Fil-ed June 21, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JAMES 1.. fiUFF/E,

4 TTaeA/E vs June 23, 1959 J. 1.. DUFFIE ELECTRICALLY OPERAELE GRILL CLEANING DEVICE Filed June 21, 195'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. '3

. 6 W Y 2 m/ e M M M m w, a a E T, w L .u M v B P- M d m y United States Patent ELECTRICALLY OPERABLE GRILL CLEANING DEVICE James L. Duffie, Holly, Mich.

Application June 21, 1957, Serial N 0. 667,116

1 Claim. (Cl. 51170) This invention relates to cleaning apparatus, and more specifically, the present .invention pertains to apparatus andmeans for effectively cleaning the surface of a grill.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to providea relatively light weight electrically operated abrading device especially designed for cleaning grills utilized in cooking operations.

Another object of thisinvention is to provide a manually manipulative electrically operable abrading device for cleaning grills.

' A further object of thisinvention is to provide an electrically operable abrading device forcleaning grills, the device employing a plurality of electrically driven abrading elements together with means for quickly securing :andjdet'ac'hing the elements from the device.

This invention contemplates, as a still further object thereof, the provision of a device of the type described which is non-complex in constructionand assembly, inexpensive'to manufacture, and which is durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction withthe annexed drawings, in which:

' Figure 1 is a side elevational view of agrill cleaning device, constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

, Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed cross sectional view, partly in elevation, the view being taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a detailed cross sectional view, taken substantially on the horizontal plane of line 44 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of-the arrows; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary cross sectional View taken substantially on the vertical .plane o'f'line 55 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of .the arrows.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral v designates, in general, anelectrically operable grill cleaning device constructed in accordance with this invention. The device 10 is preferably formed of a light weight material, such as, for example, a cast aluminum-magnesium alloy. The device or maohine 10 comprises a base member 12 having a substantially rrectangular base p'late'1'4 having 'arcuate corners. Reference numerals 16 and 18 denote a pair of oppositely disposed spaced and substantially parallel side flanges which extend upwardly from the sides of the plate 14 and are integral therewith. The ends of the plate 14 are provided with integrally formed upright spaced and substantially parallel end flanges 20 and 22. The side and end flanges 16 and 18, 28 and 22, respectively, have their respective adjacent ends integrally connected by the armate flanges 24, 26, 28, 30 which arise from and are integrally connected with the base plate 14 at each arcuate corner thereof to form a continuous peripheral flange around the base 14.

2,891,360 Patented June .23, 1959 A pair of integrally formed, substantially. hollow cylindrical bosses 32, 34 project upwardly from the base plate 14 adjacent one end thereof, and a similar pair of integral- 1y formed, substantially hollow cylindrical bosses 36, 38 project upwardly :from the base plate 14 adjacent the other end thereof. The longitudinal axes of the bosses 32, 34 fall on a line which substantially bisects the arcuate flange 30, or, to express the relationship in another way, the above mentioned axes fall on a line which intersects the side flange 16 at an acute angle of-substantially45". In a similar manner, the longitudinal axes of the bosses 36, .38 fall on a line which bisects the arcuate flange. 26 and which also intersects flange 12 at an acute angle of substantially 45". Each of the .bosses 32, 34, 36 and 38 receive a bushing 40 therein. A fifth substantially hollow cylindrical boss 42 is integrally formed with the base plate 14 and projects upwardly therefrom intermediate its sides and ends. This boss receives a bushing '44 therein. Reference numerals 46 and 48 designate a pair of meshed gears, and the numerals 50 and 51 refer to a second pair of meshed gears. These gears, and the clements associated therewith have identical characteristics with the exception of gear 50, which differs therefrom in but one respect (which will be set forth :below), and consequently, the description of one gear together with its associated elements will serve as a description ofthe other gears and their respective component parts. In :this connection reference is now made to Figure 5 of the drawings.

Reference numeral 52 indicates an elongated substantially cylindrical shaft mounted for rotation within a bushing 40 fitted within the boss 38. The shaftis squared at its upper end 54and is received within a squared aperture 56 formed in the hub 58 of the gear 51. .For reasons to be described, the diametrical dimension of the end 54 is less than the diameter of the shaft 52. The upper end of the shaft 52 projects above the hub 58 and is provided witha circumferential groove 60 in which is disposed a split washer 62 to prevent inadvertent or accidental downward movement of the shaft 52.

The lower end of .the shaft 52 is provided with a second groove 64 and at its lower terminal end, the shaft 52 is fcrmed with an enlarged substantially rectangular head A split ring or spacing washer 68 is engaged within the groove 64 and engages against the lower endof the bush.- ing 40 and adjacent portions of the bottom plate 14. A substantially hollow cylindrical casing is designated at 70. The'casing 70 is formed with an end wall 72 having a central aperture 74 which receives the lower end of the shaft 52 therein, and a depending circumferential flange '76, the inner side thereof beingprovided with a plurality of inwardly extending radially spaced sockets 78.

:A' substantially cylindrical pumice stone .has a :groove 82 formed in the upper end thereof to provide an upwardly projecting neck 84 of reduced diameter. Reference numeral 86 designates a substantially rectanggiilar recess, and numeral 90 indicates a plurality of 3POCk6t8 which extend inwardly from the circumference of the neck 84 in radially spaced relation and which receive therein springs 92 which bias spherical detents 94 for movement away therefrom. The neck portion 84 is surrounded by the flange 76 with the head 66 positioned within the recess 86 and the detents entering the socket 78 to provide a releasable connection between the casing 70 and the stone 80.

The simplicity of the above described elements facilitates its assembly for the stone 80 is first connected to the casing 70 after which the split ring 68 is mounted in the groove 64 and thereafter the shaft 52 is inserted in the bushing 40. The gear 51 is then mounted on the squared upper end of the shaft 52, and this operation is followed by engaging the split ring 62 in the groove 60.

The exception in construction referred to above comprises the formation of a substantially rectangular recess 96 in the hub 58 of the gear 50 to serve a function to be described.

Reference numeral 08 designates a pinion having a depending shaft 100 mounted for rotation in the bushing 44 positioned in the boss 42. The pinion 98 meshes with the gears 48 and 50 to effect a gear train which includes the gears 46, 48, pinion 98 and the gears 50, 51.

A pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending bracket arms 102, 104 have one of their respective ends fixedly securely to the base plate 14 by screws 106. The other ends of the brackets extend over the gear 48 and the pinion 98. An electric motor 108 is fixedly secured to the brackets 102, 104 and the drive shaft thereof is connected in driving relation with a worm gear 110. The gear 110 meshes with a gear 112 having a hub 114 in which is rigidly secured a shaft 116. The shaft 116 terminates in a substantially rectangular lower end 118, the "latter being received within the recess 96 formed in the hub 58 of the gear 50.

A cover or closure member is designated, in general, by reference numeral 120. The closure member includes a top wall 122 from which depend a pair of laterally spaced downwardly diverging side walls 124, 126 and a pair of downwardly diverging end walls 128, 130. The side and end walls are provided with a continuous laterally projecting, integrally formed peripheral flange 132 from which depends a second continuous flange 134 which traces the contour of the flanges 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30, and is adapted to be telescoped thereover. Screws 136 releasably secure flange 134 to the last mentioned flanges.

An inverted substantially U-shaped hollow tubular handle 138 has the arms thereof fixedly connected to the end walls 128, 130 by brackets 144 connected thereto by rivets 146 or by other conventional means.

As is seen in Figure 3, the motor 108 is energized through an electrical cable 148 which passes through the end wall 130 and into the handle arm 142. The cable 148 is then threaded through the bight 150 of the handle and exists through the handle arm 140 adjacent the upper end thereof for connection with a suitable source of E.M.F. A toggle-control switch 152 is interposed in the motor circuit and is mounted on the handle arm 142 for convenient operation.

To operate the above described device, the cable 148 is connected to a suitable electrical output and the toggle switch 152 is moved to its closed position to energize the motor 108. With the motor 108 activated, the worm gear 110 is rotated and since this gear is in mesh with the gear 112 the gear 112 will also rotate. This eflects rotation of the shaft 116 which is connected through its rectangular head 118 with the gear 50. Since the gear 50 is one of the gears in the aforementioned gear train, all of the gears 46, 48, 50, 51 and the pinion 98 will rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows. Since the gears are rigidly connected to their respective shaft 52, the latter will effect the rotation of the abrading stones or cylinders 80.

The operator now brings the 4 1 stones into engagement with the surface of the grill to be cleaned.

While the above described device 10 has been describe in conjunction with the abrading stones 80, it is obvious that other cleaning devices having a substantially circular configuration, such, as for example, a plurality of brushes could be substituted therefor.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in deta l, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A grill cleaning device comprising a base including a base plate having a plurality of substantially hollow bosses integrally formed therewith and projecting laterally from one side thereof, each of said bosses having a shaft journalled for rotation therein and having one of their respective ends projecting beyond theadjacent end of its said associated boss remotely disposed with respect to said plate, each of said shafts having their respective other ends projecting laterally beyond the other side of said plate, each of said shafts having a circumferential groove formed therein intermediate their respective said one end thereof and said adjacent end of said boss, each of said shafts having a split ring secured within their said respective grooves, said rings being adapted to engage against said adjacent end of said bosses to prevent axial movements of said shafts relative to their associated bosses in a direction towards said plate, a gear fixedly secured to each of said one ends of said shafts in driving relation with respect thereto, said gears being connected in a gear train, a second gear fixedly secured on one of said shafts, an electric motor supported on said plate and having its drive shaft substantially parallel thereto, said drive shaft having a worm gear secured thereon and meshing with said second gear in driving relation with respect thereto, each of said shafts having a second circumferential groove formed in its said other end adjacent said other side of said plate, each of said shafts having a second split ring disposed in their respective second circumferential grooves, said second rings engaging against adjacent portions of said other side of said plate, a substantially hollow cylindrical casing for each of said shafts, each of said casings including an apertured end wall and an integrally formed circumferential flange projecting away from said end wall in a direction away from said other side of said plate, said other ends of said shafts projecting into their respective said casings through said aperture for driving connection therewith, a cleaning implement, means on said flange cooperating with means on said cleaning implement for releasably securing said implement within said casing, and a closure member extending across and enclosing said gear train and said motor, and handle means connected with said closure member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,988,193 Edstrom Jan. 15, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 282,970 Great Britain J an. 5, 1928 

